pent-up

[pent-uhp] / ˈpɛntˈʌp /

ADJECTIVE

held within

Synonyms

STRONGEST

repressed stifled suppressed

WEAK

bottled-up bridled checked constrained curbed held in check held-back inhibited restrained restricted smothered

Antonyms

WEAK

public released

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And amid all the sturm und drang, each character projects onto the other a pent-up spleen of parent-child neuroses and unmet expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

"There could be a pent-up demand," said Jelena Sokolova from investment research firm Morningstar.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Douglas says there is something about the "repetitive beat" and everyone "gathering to release some pent-up energy" which feels like a way to connect to our ancestral roots.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

“It kind of siphoned all of that pent-up, closeted stuff that you hold back, that you couldn’t freely express,” she said.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

I could feel the bigness of it and the unknownness of it and a pent-up tension—whether of tears or anger, I couldn't tell.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison